Any recommendations for economical growlights

[chillithyme]

Hi all. Does anybody have a recommendation for some economical grow lights please? or point me towards if this has been discussed before?
I haven’t got my normal windowsill access this year apart from my north facing bedroom. I also haven’t had the time that I would like this year but I’m not giving up on my veg growing.My chilli plants are up,I’m only growing about 10 plants in total. I haven’t used growlights before. Am considering having a small setup if it isn’t too expensive.

[toomanytommytoes]

You don't need anything specifically labeled 'grow light' if you're only growing them under the lights until they go outside. If you have any old desk lamps you can buy LED screw/bayonet bulbs pretty cheaply. Each bulb would cover about 1 square foot. You can also use LED battens or an old fluorescent fixture with LED tubes. Look for a luminous efficacy (lumens per Watt) of 100 or more and a colour temperature of 4000 to 6500 K. Philips bulbs are usually decent.

[Scarlet]

I haven't splashed out. I always seem to have other things to spend my money on.
There's the growlight garden on Amazon..garland one I think.
IKEA also do them.
Though BMs old thread is worth a read.
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...hts_69290.html
I use a couple of lamps in my work room in the early days...apart from that I just move them into my bay window when they've got a little bigger.

[SimpleSimon]

Amazon do a 20watt 6500k 60cm led batten light for a tenner delivered. I have 2 of the 120cm ones and they are great.

[chillithyme]

Thank you. I've been keeping the light off in my bedroom out of fear of making my chilli seedlings too leggy! An inexpensive light for the evenings should help to keep my seedlings happy, and me too so that I can see at night

[Babru]

Might be cheaper options, but I've been pleased with this, now in its second winter. It needs clamped to something, so mine is clamped to the standard lamp in the living room.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Holly Daze]

I bought Amazon growlights - Garspen about £35. Planted my chilli seeds last week in January. Happy with seedlings.

[the big lebowski]

hi ,

heres the lamp i used for seedlings and overwintering my chillis ( 8 chilli plants overwintering this year ), it costs £ 40 with reflector and would cover a 2x2 foot area no probs

https://www.growell.co.uk/propagatio...-page-product1

cheers

[rambleberry]

I bought a daylight LED bulb and desk lamp from the DIY shop. It's been going for 3 years so far and worked really well for me.

[Urban]

I'm still using a small dual t5 lighting fixture I got from lidl or aldi, a few years back, I think Veggiechicken recommended it on here, its working well so far, might move to LED eventually when this dies

[Starch]

I have a MEIZHI LED 450w grow light that has been working well for the last 2 years with good results even in a dark shed.

[Stan79]

To clarify, does any old light work or does it have to be certain wavelength light?

[broadway]

So being a complete novice to grow lamps / lights do you only use them during to day to supplement poor light?

[toomanytommytoes]

To clarify, does any old light work or does it have to be certain wavelength light?

Any white light with a colour temperature between 4000 and 6500 Kelvin.

[toomanytommytoes]

So being a complete novice to grow lamps / lights do you only use them during to day to supplement poor light?

Our sunny windowsills are already full or will be when the tomatoes get going in March, so the only light our peppers/chillies get is from the grow lights. They are on 16 hours a day at the moment. When we start getting warm enough day time temperatures, the plants go into the greenhouse during daylight hours.